Not so smooth install

[rprice54]

Okay, today's the big day. Installers show up for my two tv DVR and HD receiver setup. Yes, those are 24 series on the truck. Out with the Dish equip and in with the new. Took about an hour. Then they tell me the MRV is not on my account and they cant set up the whole home DVR because its not on the work order. It's on my order confirmation email. They say "Call direct and they can activate it over the phone- we are out of here."

After an hour on the phone with direct she can't get my dvr to activate the MRV. My secondary receiver shows it's activated but it can't see the DVR. The DVR doesn't even list it as an option.

She tells me they will send out a tech on Monday. I figured i would check with the people who really know.

The installers also said i can't do VOD with my Ethernet cable since I'm using whole home DVR. Not a big deal but seems a little weird to me.

Other than no DVR upstairs, everything else seems to be working.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

How do you have your boxes hooked up to the internet?

 

[Poke]

What? You should be able to do VOD did they install a DECA? Did you have the SWIM Adapter installed?? You might try doing a reset on your SWIM Adapter.. To do this remove the 2 coax cables to the Swim Adapter then unplug the adapter. After the green light goes off on top of the adapter plug it back in the plug the 2 cables back into the adapter. Then go to your Multi Room setup on your DVR and do the same on the other receiver.

 

[rprice54]

There's no DECA. They put a splitter at my main switch box there's a black box plugged into power with two coax cables- one from the wall and one to the dvr. Then there's the hr24 and the h24.

They told me not to plug in my Ethernet cable because it would interfere with the MRV. Tech didn't mention the swim adapter. Is that the black box plugged into the wall? I can try that.

 

[tigerfan33]

My install is tomorrow. Two HR24's and a H24. Getting MRV and was going to hook up one of the HR24 to my router with Ethernet cable. Not a big deal if I can't. Would not use VOD much anyway.

 

[rprice54]

Okay, I got home and now it looks like everything is working. Now, I've tried to use the iPhone app to schedule some recordings, but it doesn't work. I'm guessing that's what the internet connection is for? Now what, can I plug in the Ethernet cable, or do I still need something else? The D* tech support I spoke to didn't know the answer.

 

[Poke]

Hmm since that part is working you will either need the White DECA or you might be able to plug your Ethernet into your HR24 to get it on the net. My install I did not have a network port behind my entertainment center or in the other room where my HD Receiver is. So with the DECA had them run a coax cable drop in where my wireless router was plug the DECA into it then the other end goes back to coax which sends the net traffic to both my HD DVR and HD Receiver through Coax.

So you can one try plugging your net connection into one of your HDDVR then go to your Advance Setting then to Network and do the test to see if the HD DRV gets on the net. If it does it will pass the test and it will say that your receiver is on the net now. Then go to the other HD DVR and your HD Receiver do the same test and see the their able to get connected to the net. If they can't then you most likely will need a DECA installed so that was it can pass the net connection to all 3 receivers through the coax which will reach them all at once. Nice thing with the DECA it kills 2 birds with one stone you can do your MVR or Multi-Room plus get's all the receivers on the net as well. The receivers having built in DECA just saves from having to have one DECA for each unit like order models for MVR so forth. You just use one to MVR them and get them on the net. Anyway thats the way I understand it.

 

[harshness]

There's no DECA.

If you have H24 and HR24 boxes, you have DECA installed (less the broadband bridge).

 

[Poke]

If you have H24 and HR24 boxes, you have DECA installed (less the broadband bridge).

Right we understand that I guess I could have just had a network drop put in or got a wireless adapter put it into HDDVR on the net. But the wireless would not work as well would save from having to pull cable but unless you have a drop or wireless connection to get them on the net. Since they have deca they should just need a connection for the net is all. Hmm makes me wonder if I should have gone a different route and not messed with the DECA then.

 

[rprice54]

so do I NEED a broadband bridge if I have an ethernet cable sitting right by the DVR? Should I just plug it in and see what happens? I already have an Airport Express hooked up to a switch in the Ent Center which gives my AVR, Blu Ray, etc intenet connectivity.

 

[Poke]

Yeah the way I was just explained is that if you just want to do MVR then you don't need the DECA since the units already have one built in. But I was told if you want to do On Demand certain other features with the receivers that you had to have their broadband DECA hooked up to your router or wireless router. My guess is the reason is so while your using some of those features the DECA help out with the traffic and keep it from interfering with other things but also make it where both have net access as well. So sounds like you have to have it to be able to do certain things with the receivers through the net.. It's almost like giving your router a DECA since it does not have one and all the photo's or diagrams I have seen the router has always had a DECA hooked up to it. So sounds like you have to have one hooked up to your internet connection if you want to access all the features accross the internet.

 

[rprice54]

yea, I just tried it, the Ethernet jack on the HR24 is now inactive that the MVR is working. It doesn't even light up my switch when it's plugged in.

 

[armchair]

IIRC, the ETHERNET cable will interfere with the internal DECA on the 24 series. Until Directv gets back to install your broadband DECA between your router and DECA cloud, you may have to do without VOD & TV APPS.

I think connecting the ETHERNET will give you an INTERNET connection but defeat your MRV capability.

It's better to stay with the supported MRV setup. In your case it would be the 24 series boxes with one broadband DECA to bring the INTERNET in for VOD and TV APPS. Hopefully, they've already installed green-labeled dish and multi-switch (the external green labels indicate SWiM compatibility which are required for supported MRV install/setup).

It still seems to be a "by request only" to get the broadband DECA for Internet Connection (aka "SWiM DECA with ICK"-INTERNET Connection Kit). Make sure you request yours if your install is still pending. I actually had to cancel my order and have a ticket re-written which pushed my install back a week because my original ticket did not include "with ICK".

 

[Poke]

Yeah everything I seen and have been told it sounds like you have to have a DECA hooked up to your router. This way all the features and things will work with out issues and provide a net connection to all receivers that can use one.

 

[SpaethCo]

Would not use VOD much anyway.

You'd be surprised, there is a ton of free VoD content out there arranged by channel. Go to the HDNet VoD and you can download concerts, older shows from HDNet, etc all free.

On the H24/HR24 there are 2 network interfaces, but only one can be active at a time. So when it powers up it first checks the Ethernet port for a valid connection -- if that connection doesn't go active it disables the Ethernet port and enables the internal DECA interface. It is important while the tech is there that the Ethernet cable doesn't get plugged in to the H/HR24 -- trust me, this will save you a ton of grief and head scratching if you get an inexperienced tech.

If you use DECA, then you need to get the Internet adapter which is just another DECA module with a power supply. That will link the coax DECA network back to your home network so that the receivers can get out to the Internet.

DECA is only required for the install to be supported by DirecTV -- MRV will work over either connection, but obviously all the receivers need to be on the same network. For my install I ordered MRV without the Internet adapter and my HR24s were set up to connect via DECA. After the tech left I plugged in the Ethernet lines to both receivers and rebooted and both MRV and VoD works great.

If you're going to use Ethernet, to get good performance it cannot be wireless or powerline adapter connections. It has to be cat5 runs back to a switch; the LAN ports on a router will probably not be sufficient as most off-the-shelf home routers don't incorporate an actual switch. Things like the WRT routers use a software process to move frames from port to port that can slow down based on other activities the router is performing.

 

[rprice54]

installer coming back today (maybe) to hook up the internet part. I guess that's the "professional internet install" the website talks about.

 

[stonecold]

Make sure the bring the Deca internet adapter, if not call 1800 531-5000 andask to be xfer to the ace department. tell them your with in 14 days of your setup and you want it and get someone out there to fix it.

 

[rprice54]

we are good to go. Adapter installed, I didn't realize I would get internet on the secondary receiver as well. We're good to go!